Electronic toothbrush

ABSTRACT

An electric toothbrush comprising a cylindrical casing; at least one disposable cylinder within the casing to hold; a hollow neck affixed to the casing for permitting the flow of gel there through; and a hollow tooth implement rotatably affixed to the throat, said tooth implement comprising a brush, flosser or scraper.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims benefit to provisional application 60/690,816filed on, Jun. 14, 2005, entitled “Improved Electric Toothbrush”, whichis incorporated herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to the field of power toothbrushes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

The invention is directed toward an electronic toothbrush which utilizesa push platform mechanism that forces toothpaste up through the interiorof the toothbrush onto the toothbrush head. The toothbrush uses areplaceable tooth gel cylinder. A removable toothpaste container allowsthe user to replace the toothpaste cylinder once it is emptied. Anoutside view indicator allows the user to view the contents of thetoothpaste cylinder and monitor toothpaste level.

There have been a number of patents directed to electric toothbrushes.U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,803, to Kuo, has an issue date of May 18, 2004. Thepatent is directed toward an electrical dentifrice dispensing toothbrushusing a replaceable bristle unit with a permanent drive head and handle.The replaceable bristle unit consists of a rotary bristle element and astationary bristle element that has an opening for the flow ofdentifrice material through the drive head. The bristle unit is snap-onlatched to the side walls of the drive head. Opposing tabs which alsofunction as pressure sensors on the bristle unit are pressed toward eachother to release the bristle unit. A linkage is used to convert therotation of the drive shaft to a planar oscillation that enables acompact drive head configuration. The dentifrice dispensing isaccomplished by using a rotary solenoid for actuating an internal buttonthat applies pumping pressure to the dentifrice material. As a benefitto arthritis suffers, no external squeezing action is involved.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,866 to Klupt has an issue date of Jun. 21, 1994. Thepatent is directed toward a toothbrush system which includes a handlemember (14) which defines an internal handle chamber (22) forcontainment therein of a cleansing liquid container (28). The handlemember (14) is coupled to a head housing (24) which has bristles (20)extending from it. The bristles (20) are displaceably oscillated about acentral axis (16) and simultaneously are rotated about an axis whichextends in a perpendicular direction to the longitudinal direction (18)and is responsive to the oscillating displacement of the bristles (20).A mechanism is provided for delivering a liquid from the handle (14)through the head member (12) and external the toothbrush system adjacentthe bristles (20). In this manner, there is provided pulsating liquidflow from the toothbrush system with a combined rotation and oscillationof the toothbrush bristles (20) in a plurality of planes.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,022, to Boatcallie, has an issue date of Aug. 29,1989. The patent is directed toward a toothbrush system using acombination of mechanical force and fluid dynamics to increase theefficiency of plaque removal from the teeth and gums. The toothbrushincludes a head unit with an irrigator nozzle and a hydraulicallyactuated and continuously variable bristle platform which negotiates thecomplex surface geometry found in the mouth of a user. The irrigationnozzle is powered by the pulsing of an anti-microbial irrigant whichgives the toothbrush head unit the distinguishing ability of being ableto “feel” the contour of the teeth and to “find” the spaces betweenthem. Once the sensing irrigator nozzle finds the spaces between theteeth, it extends into the area, and releases the anti-microbial liquiddirectly into the space. The configured bristle tufts of the head unitautomatically adjust their position for cleaning under the gum line,between the teeth, as well as flat surfaces.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,203, to Hall et al., has an issue date of Jun. 10,2003. The patent is directed toward a fluid delivery/refilling systemwhich includes a unit-of-use fluid reservoir for dentifrice ormedication within a head portion of a power toothbrush, which isremovable from the remainder thereof. A pump element is located in thebrushhead and is configured so that the back and forth movement of thebrushhead in operation results in fluid moving from the reservoir to adispensing valve located in the brushhead. The dispensing valve has anend portion which is normally closed, opening under pressure of fluidfrom the pump. The refilling assembly is separate from the toothbrushand is configured to fit over the top of the toothbrush. Upward pressureexerted on the toothbrush when the toothbrush is within the refillingassembly results in movement of a core element in the refillingassembly, which in turn results in a hollow needle in the refillingassembly extending into a refiller valve in the head portion of thetoothbrush. This results in a fluid path between the refilling assemblyand the reservoir in the toothbrush. A selected sequence of movement ofthe toothbrush relative to the refilling results in fluid being movedfrom the external reservoir through the needle into the on-boardunit-of-use reservoir in the toothbrush

U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,967 to Sale et al., has an issue date of Dec. 26,2000. The patent is directed toward a fluid delivery powered toothbrushwhich utilizes a removable/disposable neck assembly that contains afluid reservoir, a fluid delivery system and a fluid path thereinleading to a brush receptacle. No fluid is used in or passes through thetoothbrush handle. Preferably a pump is located in the neck assembly andactivated at the same time as the brush drive such that fluid isdelivered during brushing. In one embodiment of the invention, the brushis replaced with a nozzle for providing fluid prior to or afterbrushing. The components for the neck assembly are disposable tominimize cross-contamination while enhancing fluid delivery to the teethduring brushing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for anelectric toothbrush which has a replaceable tooth gel cylinder.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an electrictoothbrush with a rotatable brush head which can hold a variety ofimplements such as a scraper, a brush and a flosser.

It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a novel electricbrush.

These together with other aspects and advantages which will besubsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a timesaving and space saving electric toothbrushdevice that has the toothpaste in a cylinder which pushes up through thehead of the brush when utilized. The invention has a receptacle for areplaceable gel insert, along with the capability to hold a number ofdifferent heads including a brush, a tongue scraper and a flosser. Thisdevice will replace a number of other brushes and brush accessoriescurrently on the market.

It is an aspect of the present invention to provide an electrictoothbrush comprising of a cylindrical casing; at least one disposablecylinder within the casing to hold; a hollow neck member affixed to thecasing for permitting the flow of gel there through; and a hollow toothimplement rotatably affixed to the throat.

In a further embodiment, the present invention is an electric toothbrushcomprising a cylindrical casing; at least one disposable cylinder withinthe casing to hold a gel; a hollow neck affixed to the casing forpermitting the flow of gel there through; and a hollow tooth implementrotatably affixed to the throat, said tooth implement comprising abrush, flosser or scraper.

In yet a further embodiment, the present invention is n electrictoothbrush comprising a cylindrical casing; a plurality of disposablecylinders within the casing to hold a gel; a hollow neck affixed to thecasing for permitting the flow of gel there through; and a hollow toothimplement rotatably affixed to the throat, said tooth implementcomprising a brush, flosser or scraper

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as thestructure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention,will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the followingdescription of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a section view of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a section view of the invention which illustrates the end ofthe pump.

FIG. 4 illustrates the invention with glass view and a brush control.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the system for replacing cylinders.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the rotatable brushes.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the pump mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the rotatable implement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferredembodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to likeelements throughout.

The present invention is described with reference to the enclosedFigures wherein the same numbers are utilized where applicable.Referring to the Figures, in a most preferred embodiment, the inventioncomprises a novel electric toothbrush. In a most preferred embodiment,the brush comprises an electric toothbrush comprising a hard grip 12,battery charger 14, power motor 16, and on-off button 18. The toothbrushhas a substantially cylindrical casing and is shaped for ergonomiccomfort. The casing may be constructed from a variety of materials,including plastic and metal.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the toothbrush includes a small pumpmechanism 20 located at the bottom of the toothbrush. The pump includesa push rod pump 22 which pumps one of three rechargeable gel cartridges.

A button 28 located at the bottom of the system activates the pumpmechanism. The toothbrush also includes an on-off switch 30 whichcontrols the power to the system.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the pump 20 is activated and pushes upwardlyfrom the bottom to the top. Referring to FIG. 4, the system willpreferably include a lock clip 32 for holding the cylinders. The lockclip rotates 33 and places the appropriate cylinder in a chamber 35associated with the casing.

The outer covering_of the toothbrush includes a glass viewer window 34which enables the user to see the amount of gel in the cylinder. The topof the toothbrush includes a neck 40 which has an axially extendingchannel 42 to permit gel to flow to the toothbrush. As shown in FIG. 5,these cartridges 23 are loaded into the bottom of the system.

Referring to FIG. 6, the toothbrush comprises an implement which mayhave a plurality of replaceable brush heads. The brush heads may includea variety of devices including a tongue cleaner 44, a flosser 46, and aconventional brush 48. As shown in FIG. 6, a novel feature of theinvention is the inclusion of a switch blade mechanism for moving thetoothbrush into a non-active position shown at position 50. FIG. 8illustrates the full 360 degree rotatability of the dental implements.

The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from thedetailed specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claimsto cover all such features and advantages of the invention that fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, sincenumerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilledin the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exactconstruction and operation illustrated and described, and accordinglyall suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, fallingwithin the scope of the invention.

1. An electric toothbrush comprising: a cylindrical casing; at least onedisposable cylinder within the casing to hold; a hollow neck memberaffixed to the casing for permitting the flow of gel there through; anda hollow tooth implement rotatably affixed to the throat.
 2. Theelectric toothbrush of claim 1 further comprising a viewer on the casingfor visualizing the level of gel.
 3. An electric toothbrush comprising:a cylindrical casing; at least one disposable cylinder within the casingto hold a gel; a hollow neck affixed to the casing for permitting theflow of gel there through; and a hollow tooth implement rotatablyaffixed to the throat, said tooth implement comprising a brush, flosseror scraper.
 4. An electric toothbrush comprising: a cylindrical casing;a plurality of disposable cylinders within the casing to hold a gel; ahollow neck affixed to the casing for permitting the flow of gel therethrough; and a hollow tooth implement rotatably affixed to the throat,said tooth implement comprising a brush, flosser or scraper.